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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27955016">An Unexpected Confession</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/riddleme_this/pseuds/riddleme_this'>riddleme_this</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Series of Unexpected Events [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Angry Tom Riddle, Concerned Harry Potter, Confessions, Dark Tom Riddle, F/M, Fluff, How Do I Tag, M/M, Mystery, Protective Harry Potter, Protective Tom Riddle, SO MUCH FLUFF, Sad Harry Potter, Sad Tom Riddle, Teenage Tom Riddle, but not too much, part of a series, vulnerabilities</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:20:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,177</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27955016</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/riddleme_this/pseuds/riddleme_this</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry, Tom and Hermione are very close to solving the mystery of the attacks, and decide to recruit Dumbledore's help.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Tom Riddle, Hermione Granger &amp; Harry Potter, Hermione Granger &amp; Tom Riddle, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Series of Unexpected Events [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2043814</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>171</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An Unexpected Confession</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tom awoke to the sound of Harry and Hermione discussing something, the voices softer than usual. A frown came over his face. Harry? Hermione? Why were they in his dorm?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sitting up, his eyes snapped open only to flinch shut from the glaring brightness of the sun. Why was there sun when he lived in the dungeon? </span>
  <span>Suddenly, the thoughts in his head gathered together and Tom had to force himself to let go of the wand that he had unconsciously gripped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was in the library, he remembered. Had been there since last evening, trying to find something that made sense about the attacks. </span>
  <span>How could it be that so many students were targeted yet no one managed to even see the attacker? It sounded ridiculous, but in a world full of magic, everything tended to sound ridiculous. </span>
  <span>Tom didn't remember falling asleep in the library though, but the ache in his neck suggested otherwise. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning his head away from the open window, Tom opened his eyes again and found himself looking out at one of his favourite views ever. </span>
  <span>Right in front of him was Harry, hair tousled as usual and robes haphazardly put on, furiously chatting away with Hermione as they sat on the library ground and skimmed through thick, dusty, old books. </span>
  <span>Tom observed their wide eyes, relieved grins and tensed shoulders and decided that while he slept, they must have found something that would finally answer their questions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Although, Tom would be pretty upset if it was Hermione who solved the mystery of the Hogwarts' attacks. Seriously, the last thing he wanted was for that Know-it-all to best Tom in solving this matter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What's wrong?" Tom asked as he stood up and moved towards them, tucking his wand in his robes and rubbing his neck to soothe the ache. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both Harry and Hermione looked up, a flustered smile coming over Harry's lips and a tired grin on Hermione's. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You're awake," Harry said. "Come join us. Luna gave me a terrific idea and I think we are very close to solving the mystery of these attacks."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luna who? Then, Tom realised that Harry was talking about Luna Lovegood, the girl who always seemed like she was off her rockers, like she knew something everyone else didn't. </span>
  <span><em>Oh well</em>, Tom thought, <em>it would be disappointing that Luna managed to solve the mystery before Tom could, but at least it's better than Hermione. </em></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What idea?" Tom asked, intrigued at the hope of finally figuring out the mystery. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Luna told me that maybe Hogwarts is protecting the attacker. That's why no one manages to see it or find it," Harry replied. "So, Mione and I, we started looking through books. Books that we had previously somewhat ignored. Books about the castle's magic and any way it can be tampered with." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom eyes gleamed with curiosity. "And what did you find out?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hermione cut in, sending a look to Harry. "We found a spell, Imperium Artis. It's a spell used to exchange energy, to feed one's power into someone, or something else, and to take their power instead. It's usually used on people, but it can be used on objects and we think that the attacker is using it on Hogwarts." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom frowned, the slight confusion in his mind almost undetectable on his face. "So, the castle is protecting the attacker because they both share the same power, and the castle is influenced by the thoughts of the attacker, right?" Tom asked, a sour taste in his mouth as though he finished an extremely long tongue twister. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"That's right," Harry replied. "There are only two questions now. How did the attacker enter Hogwarts and where exactly are they hiding?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hermione bit her lip, feeling slightly nervous as she suggested her idea. "Should we tell the professors? Maybe we could go the Headmaster Dumbledore? He'll know what to do." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom tried his best to hide the scowl on his face at the mention of their headmaster. That man had absolutely no care for anyone's interests other than himself. He always liked to say 'For the greater good' but the greater good only seemed to exist whenever he wanted it to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, as much as he hated the man, Tom had to admit that the spineless knucklehead would probably know how to proceed with the rest of their investigation. </span>
  <span>There were things about the magical world that weren't penned down in books for hungry eyes like those of Hermione's or Tom's, but old coots like Dumbledore seemed to have that obscure knowledge just hidden within their minds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Honestly, I think Professor Dumbledore would probably be the right person to go to if we want more answers," Harry replied cautiously, glancing at Tom as he said it. Harry was well aware of the hatred Tom possessed for their headmaster, but he also knew that they had done all the research possible.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Fine," Tom curtly replied, nodding his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The three of them stared at each other for a silent moment before they started grabbing their necessary items and making their way out of the library. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sweetmeat. Chocolate frogs. Licorice snaps." Harry tried the possible passwords to Dumbledore's office. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom shook his head at Harry before saying, "Sherbet Lemon," and watching the door swing open. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hid his grin at the shocked look on Harry's face and instead, gestured for him to go up the stairs. Without waiting for Hermione, he ascended next, a small smile on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Welcome children. Have a seat," Albums Dumbledore greeted them as they walked into his office, pretending as though he had been waiting for them. "Would you care for some lemon drops?" he asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry grabbed a few, while Hermione shook her head politely. Tom simply stared at the old man for a moment, waiting for him to look away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Professor Dumbledore, we came here because we think we found something about the attacks," Hermione began, looking like the poster girl for politeness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom rolled his eyes and looked away, observing his surroundings instead. He pointedly did not look at Dumbledore as Harry and Hermione took turns reciting what they found, until finally Dumbledore replied. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Thank you so much for that very enlightening explanation. As it seems, I realise that I do have the answer to both your questions, although I might be a little finicky about the second one," Dumbledore said, putting his index finger out for his phoenix, Fawkes, to land on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Tell me, children, do you know about the Order of Phoenix?" Dumbledore asked before receiving nods from all three of his students. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We came up with the Order of Phoenix to defeat Grindelwald, who is still at large. There are lots of members to the Order of Phoenix, including your parents, Harry," he continued. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We usually have monthly meetings, mostly hosted at Hogwarts, especially during the school year, since it is supposed to be the safest place in the magical world. However, I believe that during one of these meetings, the attacker must have taken the opportunity to sneak into Hogwarts." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Aren't there wards over the school though? Especially so you can stop such a thing from happening?" Tom asked angrily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes, there are wards, but these wards are usually lowered when the members of the Order of Phoenix enter the school," Dumbledore said calmly, refusing to rise to the bait of Tom's words. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"So, there is a traitor among you all," Harry said, his eyebrows furrowed in nervousness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Indeed, that seems to be so," Dumbledore replied. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a moment of silence, he continued, "Well, children, I think it is time I should take this responsibility off your hands. Go enjoy your holidays, I'll deal with this issue," he said, waving his hand at the students to empty the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The students nodded warily, getting up their seats and crossing across the room. Once they were out of the office, Tom strolled towards the nearest wall and gave it a rage-filled punch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Tom, what are you doing?" Harry said, running over to examine Tom's bleeding hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"How dare he? We looked through every book in the library, sacrificed our sleep and friends, only for him to say, 'Oopsie doodle doo. I made a mistake but don't worry, I'll fix it now. Anyways, run along children and pretend like I didn't waste months of your time.'" Tom ranted, feeling inexplicable anger at Dumbledore. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Tom, I think we should go somewhere else to discuss this. Even the walls have ears," Hermione suggested, knowing that Tom would not appreciate his current public behaviour once he came to his senses. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No," Tom replied, ripping his hand away from Harry's grasp, "I'm done talking about this." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, he stormed off, anger evident in his every step. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry stood frozen beside Hermione, his eyes on Tom's retreating back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I've never seen him this angry," he muttered after a few minutes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hermione sighed. "He's just upset. I think we all are. It's not fair that we put in so much work and we're not even going to find out who's behind the attacks. It's especially worse for him because Tom was the most determined to solve this mystery. But then again, I do think that Dumbledore is keeping us away from this mess because it will be dangerous for us," Hermione replied, shaking her head as she slumped down against the wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry glanced at her, before turning to look at where Tom had stormed off too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I should go and find Tom," he said, feeling guilty at leaving Hermione sitting there alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hermione gave him a tired smile, waving her hand, signaling at him to leave. "Don't mind me. Go check if he's alright," she insisted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry smiled gratefully at her before taking off after Tom. Pulling out the Marauder's Map, he found Tom's footsteps at the top of the Astronomy Tower. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Harry reached Tom, he found the other boy, hanging over the edge of the tower, holding a piece of paper and tearing it into little pieces before throwing each piece down the tower. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry sat down beside him and grabbed his hand, concernedly looking at his still-bloody knuckles. "Littering is not going to make you less mad, you know?" he said, trying to snatch the paper away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You're right," Tom said, before placing the paper on the ground between them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Without a warning, he said, "Incendio," watching to paper go out in flames. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry's eyes widened. "Aguamenti," he yelled, immediately dousing the flames. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Are you crazy?" Harry yelled at Tom. "We could've both been burnt. Why would you even do that?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom blinked, before realisation came over him. "Oh no, Harry, I'm so sorry. I didn't.. I didn't mean to do that to you. Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" he asked, all the anger evaporated from his voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry gulped. "I'm... I'm fine. It's just... You really shouldn't have done that. Are you alright though? Do you still feel like, like you're going to explode and possibly set something else on fire?" Harry asked nervously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No, no. Definitely not," Tom replied, lying down on his back. "I'm sorry, for scaring you like that." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry lied down beside Tom, snuggling into his arm. "It's alright. Just don't do that again. I've never seen you so mad before," he confessed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom wrapped an arm around Harry's body. "I've never been so mad either. I don't really know what happened. I'm usually never like that," he replied, pressing a kiss against Harry's forehead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I promise I'll never do that again though," Tom said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"That's good enough for me," Harry replied, closing his eyes, content. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Harry, do you want to know something?" Tom asked after a moment of silence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yea?" Harry replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>"I wasn't mad because I </span><span>spent </span><span>all this time to actually solve the mystery. I was mad because honestly, I </span>just wanted to find the attacker and make them pay," he confessed. </p><p> </p><p><span>"But Tom, that would be </span>dangerous," Harry said, his eyes snapping open. </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I don't care. They hurt you and I didn't want to let them go easily. That's why I got mad, because we were so close and they just slipped out of our fingers. All because of Dumbledore," T</span>
  <span>om replied. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A warm fuzz came over Harry's body at Tom's words. It may not be right, what Tom wanted to do, but knowing that Tom will protect Harry so much made a large part of him feel safe and content. </span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>After a moment, Harry replied, "I'd do </span>the same, you know. If anyone tried to hurt you." </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom closed his eyes again with small </span>
  <span>smile on his face, tightening his grip around Harry. "I know." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To the both of them, this was more than just a declaration though</span>
  <span>. This was a confession, one that they were too shy to say out loud. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a confession of love, of hope and a promise of forever, hidden between forehead kisses and declarations of loyalty. </span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>And this type of confession, it was perfect, </span>for the both of them. For now.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hii everyone!! so, this part did not reveal the attacker nor why Hufflepuffs were targeted (sorry!!) but I promise you'll find out in the next part. cheers and have a great day/night ahead!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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